It’s near the end of another calendar year for Manchester United, with the club in the middle of yet another season. The Red Devils returned to the Champions League after a one-year absence, but the return was ultimately a frustrating one.

Manchester United was drawn into a group with PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow, and Wolfsburg, and the club did not cruise through as they had in previous stages. Going into their final group game at Wolfsburg, United needed at least a draw or a PSV loss to qualify for the knockout rounds. After taking the lead, the Red Devils lapsed multiple times on defense, eventually losing 3-2, while PSV beat CSKA, meaning Wolfsburg & PSV will head to the last 16.

Now United head to the Europa League, which the club may see as beneath them – exactly the view they took in 2012. The Red Devils lost three of four games in the competition that year, going out tamely in the Round of 16. The magnitude of that disappointment may have been overshadowed by the final day of the 2011/12 Premier League, but having been used to success, it was still unusual for fans to see them bow out of European competition in that manner.

Manchester United return to Premier League play this weekend, at Bournemouth, one of the three teams promoted from the Championship at the end of last season. On paper, Louis van Gaal’s club would win comfortably, but they would also have won their Champions League group fairly comfortably as well. Bournemouth will come into this match with loads of confidence, having won at Stamford Bridge in the previous matchday. Granted, Chelsea’s play has been one of, if not the, biggest shock of the Premier League season so far, but not many clubs can say they have a road win against the defending champions, especially a newly-promoted club. Even if the Cherries do go back to the second tier after one season, being able to say they beat Chelsea and Manchester United in consecutive games will be something players can hang their hats on.

For the Red Devils, they haven’t lost a Premier League match since October, but they’ve had a string of dull draws since the setback at Arsenal. Bournemouth would seem like the ideal opponent for United to get their season back on track, especially with the FA Cup on the horizon. Van Gaal has had to deal with many injuries to his squad, including new ones from Tuesday’s match in Germany. But if United do get three points on Saturday – in a game that will be aired on network television in the United States – it might be enough to get the club back into mounting a serious title challenge.

Can United recover from this most recent Champions League disappointment? Saturday’s result will provide the first indication of whether fans should look ahead to next season, or not give up on this campaign.